Bored

Could still be another MAC team represented since I need one for the final spot...or a Big Ten team. Sorry just keep repeating it for anyone just now reading the topic. Edit: bps has signed up as Bowling Green and the final spot is filled. Once I get around to putting the schedule together (this weekend or a month from now, I don't know) I'll post it along with preseason rankings and the bowl names. Who will be the preseason #1? No it won't be me. Maybe. This can be unpinned now since I have all the contest spots filled.

I never hear about Morrisey being in the A's future plans for whatever reason and I'd suspect he might be trade bait. Swisher on the other hand will be given a shot to win the right field job next year since the A's obviously won't pick up Dye's $14 million option.

#56: Ripken homers in his final All-Star Game

I am shocked they actually have player violations and probation now on the game as I thought those would be features the NCAA would never allow to be put in a game they liscensed. I'll probably buy it this weekend and I'm sooooooooo playing as Florida State in dynasty to see half my roster get suspended.

Rob E Dangerously has signed up and will represent Boise State. Down to one more spot to fill and need it to be a Big Ten or MAC team.

'95 was in the new stadium. After Comerica Park hosts it next year only Tropicana Field will have never hosted an All-Star game in the A.L. and it probably never will.

Also since it's been 10 years longer since it was in San Francisco. Throw in that 2006 would be a good bet to be Bonds last year and when/if he'll break Aaron's record. Pittsburgh would probably wait until 2008 if they stick with the switching league rule. They could slide Yankee Stadium into 2007, 30 years since the last one they hosted.

Since someone is bound to ask here's a run down of how long it's been for a team/stadium to host an All-Star game. Detroit 2005 (last hosted in '71) Houston 2004 Chicago (White Sox) 2003 Milwaukee 2002 Seattle 2001 Atlanta 2000 Boston 1999 Colorado 1998 Cleveland 1997 Philadelphia 1996 Texas 1995 Pittsburgh 1994 Baltimore 1993 San Diego 1992 Toronto 1991 Chicago (Cubs) 1990 Anaheim 1989 Cincinnati 1988 Oakland 1987 Minnesota 1985 San Francisco 1984 Montreal 1982 Los Angeles 1980 New York (Yankees) 1977 Kansas City 1973 St. Louis 1966 New York (Mets) 1964 Florida, Arizona, and Tampa Bay have yet to host. Pittsburgh and San Francisco are the finalists for the 2006 game. Surprised it's been so long since they've had it in St. Louis but they are getting a new stadium in a few years so they'll probably wait until it's built.

I hope I won't have to beg for these final two spots to be filled. Again whoever reads this who is interested please choose a Pac-10, WAC, Big Ten, or MAC team to represent. I've already noticed one correction to the Bored Championship Series formula. Instead of total correct picks and total correct picks against, it will be the perecentage of correct picks you make (and your opponents make) that will be considered in the formula. The reason why is because there won't be the same number of games to pick from every week.

Since no one has created it yet. I'll miss the first three innings in traffic. Line-ups 1. Suzuki, CF 2. I.Rodriguez, C 3. Guerrero, RF 4. Ramirez, LF 5. A.Rodriguez, 3B 6. Giambi, 1B 7. Jeter, SS 8. Soriano, 2B 9. Mulder, P 1. Renteria, SS 2. Pujols, 1B 3. Bonds, LF 4. Rolen, 3B 5. Sosa, RF 6. Piazza, C 7. Berkman, CF 8. Kent, 2B 9. Clemens, P

#57: Mize chips in from 140 feet to beat Norman

Um who you are has no impact on this. It's pick 'em contest, you pick the winners to all nationally televised and ABC regional games every week. JHawk with Kent State has a good a chance as winning as Cartman does with USC. It's your knowledge that's going to win this contest, not how well the school you represent plays.

Updated: Final conference breakdown Pac-10/WAC Stanford - Bored UCLA - phoenixrising USC - Cartman Hawaii - Will Scarlet Arizona State - Spicy McHaggis Oregon - nogoodnick Washington State - Soylent Green is People Boise State - Rob E Dangerously Big Ten/MAC/Ind Michigan - Mad Dog Notre Dame - Lando Griffin Minnesota - Vern Gagne Ohio State - Gert T Kent State - JHawk Michigan State - lomasmoney Penn State - therealworldschampion Bowling Green - "hail" bps21 SEC/Big 12 Tennessee - Kotzenjunge Oklahoma - Damaramu Texas - Flyboy LSU - teke184 Florida - Agent Bond34 Auburn - Agent of Oblivion Alabama - AlwaysPissedOff Georgia - Big Jay101 ACC/Big East Syracuse - CanadianChris Florida State - 2GOLD Maryland - MarvinisaLunatic Rutgers - the pinjockey Boston College - HarleyQuinn Virginia - Edwin MacPhisto West Virginia - Loaded Boot Miami - Spaceman Spiff

#58: Mantle, nearing death, laments a 'wasted' life

First half All-Stars for the Head-to-head league: C: Ivan Rodriguez, Chicago White Sux 1B: Albert Pujols, Rebels of Oakland 2B: Michael Young, 1000% Guapos 3B: Scott Rolen, The Worst Team SS: Alex Rodriguez, Fear the CHECKLIST~ OF: Vladimir Guerrero, Serenity OF: Bobby Abreu, Rebels of Oakland OF: Manny Ramirez, Night Rangers Util: Carlos Beltran, Fear The Slayers Util: Barry Bonds, Warts Whackos SP: Jason Schmidt, Brockvegas Posse SP: Randy Johnson, Fear the CHECKLIST~ RP: Armando Benitez, EL KABONG~! Slapnuts RP: Eric Gagne, NuclearSledgehammers P: Ben Sheets, Fear the CHECKLIST~ P: Curt Schilling, Rebels of Oakland

To no surprise Mulder and Clemens have been named to the starting pitchers for the All-Star Game.

Rolen is actually only 7th in the N.L. in runs created. Bonds leads the N.L. by almost 15 more runs created over 2nd place Todd Helton. I can't stand Bonds but sorry it's simply no contest, he's the MVP. And Rolen is a five tool player? A guy with 90 career steals is a five tool player?

Quit your belly aching. Besides these are contests and we're just trying to fill out our final spots. Once I get these final two spots filled then they can unpin it.

Two spots remaining. For those final two spots it would help if whoever takes those final two spots that one of them be a team from the west coast (Pac-10, Mountain West, or WAC) and the other be from the Big Ten or MAC. It will help me set up the conferences really nicely. Again just suggestions. Oh and since we do have some newbies participating I'm probably going to ask for picks to the first week of games (USC/Va Tech and then the full slate of games the following weekend) a couple of weeks in advance just to make sure everyone who signed up is definently going to participate. That's still a month off from now though.

#59: Webber's timeout hands title to Carolina

Kent ripped A's fans a few years back when he was with Giants for I guess taunting him or something. Kent is known for being uptight so I don't know if he'd want to play for a team with such a loose clubhouse atmoshpere. All that being said I'd take him as a rental. Of course all of this is just Gammons probably throwing shit against the wall to see if it sticks and it won't happen if the Astros are still in the Wild Card race on July 31st, which seems likely they will be.

Don't these minor injuries Manny has always pop up right before the All-Star Game? Seems like he has sat out quite a few in recent years. Obviously reserve judgment to see if he does pull out again. In other news Octavio Dotel once again pitched like crap today, although wasn't a save opportunity. This bullpen is just cursed.

AoO Division I-A teams only as it makes it much easier for me to put together the schedule.

2004 Bored College Football Pick 'Em Contest Last season I had a pick 'em contest for the bowls (won by razazteca) and I thought it came off well enough to do a pick 'em contest for the entire season. Now originally I was thinking of just doing a straight pick 'em where the person who picks the most games right wins. But what fun would that be? So I decided to borrow/steal kkk's idea of having head-to-head match-ups every week but with a college football twist. Now there are 117 Division I-A teams in college football so there is no way I can get 117 posters to join the contest. So my goal is to get 32 people to sign up and pick a school they want to represent. I will then put together four conferences of eight teams. I'll try my best to get teams in their real life conference in the same conference in the contest. Once I get 32 people in the contest (hopefully) I will put together a 13 week schedule. I'll match-up real life games in the week they happen. Each participant in the contest will pick the winners to every nationally televised game and ABC regional game that weekend. The first week though will encompass the first two weekends of the college football season as there is only one game the weekend of August 28th (USC vs. Virginia Tech). Of course the team who picks the most games right wins the game. I will have two tiebreaker pick em' games every week (which will be the games that has the closest spread) and then a tiebreaker question, which will be something like "how many yards will Matt Leinart throw for this week?" and other related questions. Since there are no ties in college football I don't plan on having any ties here. Now for the college football twist on this, first off during the conference championship game week we will have our own conference championship week. The 1st and 2nd place teams in each conference will face off that week and the winners will qualify for the Bored Championship Series. I will have a total of seven bowl games as of yet to be determined match-ups. Of course there will be national championship game between the #1 and #2 ranked teams in the contest. Oh and yes each bowl game will be sponsored. Now that brings me to the rankings. I will have Top 10 rankings every week featuring the Bored Championship Series formula. Now it's far less confusing than the real life BCS formula. It will contain three factors: 1) Total won/loss record 2) Perecentage of total correct picks made 3) Perecentage of total correct picks made against, which will serve as strength of schedule These will all be weighted evenly and there is hopefully the chance someone might get screwed...just like real life! Now for the prize. You do not have to pay to enter the contest but I will buy the winner of the national championship game something in value of $50 to $60. It can be college football related merchandise if you so choose (currently looking for good sites to buy college football merchandise) or if you don't want something college football related I could buy you a couple of DVDs of your choice off of Amazon.com. I will be participating in the contest but I can't win. If I'm the #1 team, the #2 team will win the prize. Now I need the 32 posters to join, and of course only join if you know you can particpate the entire season. Through pm's to people who particpated in my bowl pick 'em contest last season and regular to semi-regulars in the college football topics I have 22 people who have joined the contest. Here who has joined and which school they will represent. Updated (complete list) Stanford - Bored Michigan – Mad Dog UCLA – phoenixrising Syracuse – CanadianChris Florida State – 2GOLD Tennessee – Kotzenjunge Oklahoma – Damaramu Texas – Flyboy USC – Cartman LSU – teke184 Notre Dame – Lando Griffin Maryland – MarvinisaLunatic Minnesota – Vern Gagne Rutgers – the pinjockey Ohio State – Gert T Boston College – HarleyQuinn Kent State – JHawk Florida – Agent Bond34 Hawaii – Will Scarlet Arizona State – Spicy McHaggis Michigan State – lomasmoney Virginia – Edwin MacPhisto Auburn - Agent of Oblivion Oregon - nogoodnick West Virginia - Loaded Boot Penn State - therealworldschampion Alabama - AlwaysPissedOff Miami (FL) - Spaceman Spiff Georgia - Big_Jay101 Washington State - Soylent Green is People Boise State - Rob E Dangerously Bowling Green - "Hail" bps21 REGISTRATIONS CLOSED Can sign up to be on the stand by list if someone drops out.